Phoksundo Lake Trek will take you to one of the extremely isolated regions of Nepal. Phoksundo Lake is the deepest lake in the Himalayan region, located in the mid-western part of Nepal. The best part of the lake is, it falls under the Phoksundo National Park area, which is home to many endangered animals like musk deer, Tibetan wolf, and snow leopard. The trek to Phoksundo Lake will offer you breath-taking views of the Himalayan sceneries. The trail will include dense forests of juniper, oak & pine, several ascends & descends, crystal clear streams, and panoramic views of Dhaulagiri Peaks (8,167 m) and other snow-capped mountains. We will cross a few passes on this trek, and upon reaching Numala Pass, we will get to see panoramic views of Dhaulagiri Peaks, Kugung La, and other surrounding mountains. Most part of the trek is covered by mountains and huge rocks that resemble like Tibetan Plateau. Moreover, the world famous medicinal herb Yarsagumba, which is a half worm and half herb is found here.

Day to Day Itinerary

We will head to the airport to take our flight for Nepalgunj. The flight we will be short and scenic. We also have the option to drive to the Nepalgunj. The drive will also be going to be scenic. Upon reaching Nepalgunj, we will head to our hotel and rest for the day.

Day 02Nepalgunj to Juphal by flight and the 3hrs down to Dunai 2,050m.

We will wake up early and have our breakfast. After that, we will head to the airport to take our another flight for Juphal. Upon reaching Juphal, we will begin trekking towards Dunai where we will stay overnight. Most part of the trail will include downhill walk.

Day 03Dunai to Chekpa 5 hrs. 2670m.

We will begin trekking along the bank of the Thulo Bheri River. We will reach Guli Gaad where we will pass by a police check post. From here, we will go through an abandoned village, and further, ascends & descends to reach Chepka where we will stay overnight. Chekpa is a small yet beautiful village, culturally rich and prosperous.

Day 04Chekpa to Renje 4hrs.3010m.

After having a warm breakfast, we will begin trekking through the collection of rocks and sticks making a dike along the river bank. We will have several ascends and descends before we reach Renje. We will stay overnight here.

Day 05Renje to Phoksundo lake 6hrs. 3620m.

Today, the trail will be a little difficult as we will trek on a steep trail. We will begin trekking into a narrow valley. On the way, we will go through the small village, monastery, cultural school, and a small cottage industry. We will ascend and reach Phoksundo lake where we are going to stay for the night.

Day 06Acclimatize day in Phoksundo lake. A lot of things to look around.

Today is our rest day so that our body can get acclimatized with the altitude. We will spend the rest of exploring the region and hiking to nearby areas. We will visit Phoksundo Lake and spend some quality time there. After having some good time, we will return back to our teahouse where we will be staying for the night.

Day 07Phoksundo Lake to Samduwa 6 hrs.

The trail today will mostly include an uphill walk that does demand good stamina. We will ascend steadily all the way up to the Samduwa along with the stunning views of high massifs. We will go through a dense forest and a monastery before reaching Samduwa.

Day 08Samduwa to Lasa 6 hrs.

It's going to be another long day as trail again pretty much includes steep ascend. We will begin ascending on a steep trail, and further, go through a few pasture land. On the way, we will also see animals grazing in the fields and reach Lasa where we will stop for the night.

Day 09Lasa to Kagmara Phedi 8hrs. 4000m.

We will wake up early in the morning and begin our trek as we will be going to cross a pass. We will ascend all the way up to the Kagmara La Pass located at 5,115 meters. The trail will be rugged and little difficult. From Kagmara La Pass, we will get to see amazing view of the region. After spending some time here at the top, we will begin descending on a steep trail towards Kagmara Phedi where we will stay for the night.

Day 10Kagmara Phedi to Toijem 7 hrs. 2920m.

It's going to the tiring day today as we will trek for long hours. After having breakfast, we will begin descending all the way down to Toijem our last destination of the day. The trail will go through the forested area and small villages along with stunning scenic views.

Day 11Toijem to Kaigaon.

After having warm breakfast, we will trek following a riverside. Further, we will ascend on a rugged trail, and go through Bonpo Gumba. The trail will be not so difficult and present us superb views of the surrounding. The trail from here will take us to Kaigaon where we will stop for the night.

Day 12Kaigaon to Forest camp.

Today, most parts of the trail include descending. After a long descent, we will ascend to Forest Camp. The trail will include barley and potato fields. On the way, we will see the small shop where we can buy snacks or have tea/coffee.

Day 13Forest camp to Tabrikot 8 hrs.

We will begin our day early and have a quick breakfast. After that, we will begin trekking. The trail will include several ascends and descends. We will take long steep to ascend to Bagala Pass from where we can have gorgeous views of the surrounding. From here, we will descend all the way down to the Tabrikot our last destination for the day.

Day 14Tabrikot to Dunai-Juphal.

Not to mention another long walking day still the views will keep us walking. The trail will be full of ups and downs through small villages, forested path, and small streams. We will reach Dunani and continue ascending towards Juphal where we will stay for the night.

Day 15flight to Nepalgunj and Kathmandu on the same day.

After having breakfast, we will head to the airport to take our flight to Nepalgunj. After reaching Nepalgunj, we will take another flight to Kathmandu. Upon reaching Kathmandu, we will head to our hotel. The rest of the day is free for us to rest or explore the nearby areas on your own. Later in the evening, we will stroll on the lively and colorful streets of Thamel and end our day with the traditional farewell dinner.

Cost Details

What's included

Airport pickup/drop by a private vehicle

Standard accommodation in a three-star hotel in Kathmandu and Pokhara including breakfast as per itinerary

Teahouse/guest house accommodation during the trek

All meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) during the trek as per Teahouse/guest house menu

Useful Info

Tradition & Culture in Phoksundo Lake Trek

On Phoksundo Lake Trek we will mostly find by Tibetan Buddhists culture. Moreover, this region is also known as the Mini-Tibet of Nepal. We will get to witness ancient Tibetan Buddhist shrines, chortens, prayer walls, centuries-old monasteries, and kaanis. We will interact with locals and also experience their lifestyle, tradition, and culture. The people residing here are one of the kindest and most welcoming so don't feel shy to interact with them. Moreover, the isolation of this region has contributed immensely to conserve the cultural heritage and tradition for centuries.

Accommodations

We will be staying in 2 or 3-star hotels in Kathmandu and Nepalgunj. During the Phoksundo Lake Trek, we will stay in the teahouse. Teahouse is basically a combination of hotel and lodge. The room will be small with little furniture, bed & blanket. Be informed that we can also stay in camp. All the accommodations are on a twin-sharing basis. On special request, single rooms can be arranged in the cities. However, single rooms might not be available all the time due to the limited service on higher elevations. Please understand that the services in the teahouse will be very basic and also all the teahouse does not come with attached washrooms.

Meals & Drinking Water

In Phoksundo Lake Trekking, we will enjoy authentic Nepalese food with few other cuisines like Tibetan. Meals will be served as per the menu of the teahouse. Beside that you can find bars, bread, cookies, butter tea, extra on the trail but, remember as the elevation get higher, the cost also gets high. In Kathmandu and Nepalgunj you will only get breakfast. There will also be welcome and farewell dinner for you. In case, you are camping then all the meals will be cooked and served by the porters.

Drinking water can be easily found everywhere. You can get hot water from the teahouse and fill in your bottle everytime it gets empty. So, do carry a reusable water bottle with yourself. We request you to not buy mineral water bottle on the way as it will help in preserving the region. Moreover, you can also carry water purifier tablets or SteriPen with yourself to purify the water.

Phoksundo Lake Trek Difficulty & Physical Fitness

Phoksundo Lake Trek is a moderate trek. The trails are not so difficult and challenging in terms of technical climbing but, do includes 5-6 hours of walk each day. Therefore you need to be passionate and in good health. Trekking to the higher altitude always demands average physical fitness, positive attitude, and a strong determination. If you have any previous hiking or trekking experience it would be great but, it's not mandatory to go on Phoksundo Lake Trek.

Other than that, if you have any kind of health related issues then do consult with your doctors before booking the trip and also know about mountain sickness. In case of any medical history, we highly recommend you to inform us so that any future event can be tackled without having any issue.

Best Season to go on Phoksundo Lake Trek

Autumn (September to November) & Spring (March to May)are the best seasons to go the Phoksundo Lake Trekking. During this time of the year, the weather is pleasant and the sky is also clear which presents gorgeous views of the landscapes. Whereas, monsoon and winter make tough to trek in this region because the trail gets slippery during the monsoon and harsh cold weather will freeze you.

Phoksundo Lake Trek Permit

Phoksundo Lake comes in one of the restricted regions of Nepal, and tourists are required to get certain permits to enter in this region.

Besides that to go on trekking in Nepal you need to get special permission from the Government of Nepal, and also required to get TIMS card (TIMS cards is not needed if you have immigration permit).

Following is the list of permits for the Upper Mustang Trek:

Lower Dolpo restricted area permit for foreigners: USD 10 per person for a week

Shey-Phoksundo National Park entry permit fee: USD 250 per person

TIMS permit: 1,000 NPR (Around USD 10)

TIMS entry permit fee for SAARC nationals: 600 NPR (Around USD 6)

*If you are traveling with a trekking agency they will arrange these permits for you.

*These prices exclude 13% VAT (Value Added Tax) compliance.

Why go with Royal Himalayan Safari Tours on Phoksundo Lake Trek?

Royal Himalayan Safari Tours offer one of the most extensive Phoksundo Lake Trek in the market. We take our clients as a family member, and for us, this is not only a business but, also a way to connect and know people from different part of the world. We have designed Phoksundo Lake Trek itinerary to provide you best Phoksundo Lake Trekking experience. We assure you that, with us, you will complete this trek without having any issues, and get back to your home with lifelong memories.